NOTE: In beginners’ push hands training, a cooperative partner is extremely valuable. Indeed, it is necessary to train with such a partner if a beginner hopes to advance his ability beyond that of a rudimentary level. While there are many patterns, we will describe the basic skills for only two quintessential patterns: Single Hand (Dan Tui Shou, 单推手) and Dual Hand or “rolling hands” (Shuang Tui Shou, 双推手) push hands.
Definition: To describe actions between you (trainee/student) and an opponent (trainer/teacher), we will visualize an imaginary vertical clock face attached to your opponent, the twelve o’clock is on his forehead, the six o’clock at his navel, three o’clock at his left shoulder, nine o’clock at his right shoulder, and the center of the clock at his mouth/throat. We will use the position of the hour hand to indicate the angle of the attacking force to or from your opponent.
There are many push hands patterns; you do not need to learn all of them; become effective by selecting only the quintessential ones. Yiquan uses two basic push hands patterns to simulate:
1. Outside engagement with one contact point (Dan Da Shou, 单搭手), and 2. Squared-on engagement with two contact points (Shuang Da Shou, 双搭手).
These actually cover all possible engagement possibilities. Master fixed-step (Ding Bu, 定步) push hands before attempt free-step (Huo Bu, 活步) training. In a confrontation, you cannot predict the initial contact points. Therefore, you must practice using different contact points to feel, perceive, and release power.
1. Single-Hand Push Hands (Dan Tui Shou, 单推手)
Assume both A and B start with the small-step posture with right leg forward stepping on opponents’ centerline and right forearms in contact (one contact point, Ding Bu Dan Da Shou, 定步单搭手).
诀 曰: 两 手 结 合, 迎 面 伸 出, 前 伸 后 撤, 左 右 封 固, 务 须 守 着 中 线。
Do not drop your non-contact hand (insubstantial hand, parry hand, Hou Shou, 后手).
Coordinate it near your lead hand (substantial hand, Qian Shou, 前手), to be able to assist as necessary. Guard and protect your central line. Prop elbows out (Cheng San Bao Qi, 撑三抱 七); keep forearms at a slant angle (not vertical, not horizontal), all joints must be larger than 90 and smaller than 180 degrees. Relax! Stick (Zhan Lian Zhan Sui, 沾连粘随), and keep a light touch.
This simulates the initial outside engagement contact in an encounter, an outside engagement preparation of an attack; it occurs as soon as one fighter attacks with his lead hand and the other put up his lead hand to parry on the outside. Theoretically, this pattern requires partners to maintain one contact point at the forearms (Bu Diu, 不丢). While keeping this contact point, they may move in any pattern in 3-D space. Do not confine the movement pattern to a single plane (2-D). You must seize the initiative by changing direction in three-dimensional space, adapting to your opponents actions and control engagement opportunities.
Typical single-hand push hands start-up movement (Dan Tui Shou Da Lun, 单推手打轮):
1. With right palm facing down, A presses forward, inward, and slightly downward using whole-body force (pushing off the left rear foot twisting knees inwards);
directing the force at the contact point towards B's central line (at the center of the imaginary clock face).
2. B receives/meets the force by matching its speed and direction (sinks and directs it to the ground through his properly aligned and connected body) while maintaining forearms in contact; slightly retreats, twists his right forearm from palm facing down to palm facing his nose (rise drill rotation with elbow lower than wrist).
Simultaneously, B pivots and rotates his torso to his right to deflect A's attack to the right of his central line (towards the 3 o’clock position). B’s lateral deflection should be small, just enough for A’s force to miss and not exposing B’s own central line (Gai Bian Dui Fang Li Xiang, 改变对方力向).
3. Twisting his forearm in a down overturn rotation, B presses forward using whole-body force; directing the force (originating from the ground) at the contact point towards A's central line (at the center of the imaginary clock face).
4. A receives/meets the force while maintaining forearms in contact; slightly retreats, twists his right forearm and rotates his torso to deflect B's attack to the right of his central line (towards B’s 3 o’clock position).
Repeat this basic single-hand push hands pattern (Da Lun, 打轮) of attacking to your opponent's central line and deflecting attack from your own central line continuously. Note, in this
elementary exercise, keep your wrist higher than your elbow to present a slant surface to your opponent’s downward force. Use “small circle” (Xiao Quan, 小圈) to turn at the gate (Zhuan Guan, 转关) to deflect/neutralize with folding (Zhe Die, 摺叠) to dominate the point (Qiang Dian, 抢点); use large arc to attack. Protect your central line and attack your opponent’s central line. When you have mastered the basic movements in fixed-step, then practice them with the shuffle step (fencing step). When advancing to attack your opponent’s central line: Push off your rear foot to advance your lead foot, then your rear foot follows. When retreating to protect your central line: Push off your lead foot to retreat your rear foot, then your lead foot follows.
Examples of Variations (Dan Tui Shou Bian Hua, 单推手变化): When you have mastered free-step basic single hand push hand Da Lun (Huo Bu Dan Tui Shou Da Lun, 活步 单推手打轮), you may explore the attack/defense of forces from different angles.
Dominating the Point (Qiang Dian, 抢点): Control engagement opportunities by dominating the contact point.
Forward/downward drill (下压内螺旋变化): When the downward component of the force applied by your opponent is strong and to the inside (towards the 6 o’clock), you can neutralize it by drilling your hand forward, downward, and inwards (similar to downward punch), lifting your elbow above your wrist to slide his arm off your slanting forearm to the inside (Xia Luo Xuan, 下螺旋). This may draw a startled response from which you may attack and/or recover.
Downward/backward press, forward push (下压变化): Keep your wrist higher than your elbow when pressing downward, backward, and slightly outward in order to maintain control of your opponent’s forearm. When pushing forward in riposte, do not lift your lead hand forearm and elbow; allow your forearm to slide on top of your opponent’s forearm.
Lateral deflect, lateral push: Simultaneously, twist your forearm in a down overturn (Ni, 逆) rotation and pivot your waist as you do lateral deflect (towards the 3-4 o’clock if your are in a right lead). Use the bend of your wrist (the thumb side) between your hand and your forearm to hook/hang (Gou Gua, 勾挂) your opponent’s forearm. Keep your guard hand (parry hand) at your central line and control your opponent’s elbow and shoulder. When doing lateral push in riposte, take up power from the ground from the lead foot to your lead hand.
Rear hook hand exchange, forward hand lateral strike: From a right lead posture, if your opponent’s force is towards your left shoulder (the 9 o’clock), use your left rear hand to
hook/hang his right forearm from below and execute a lateral outward strike with your right (Ce Pi, 侧劈). Take up power from your lead foot to your lead hand (drill leg downwards, 腿似钻).
Rear hand downward press, elbow strike: When using your rear hand (parry hand) in a downward press assist, press downward, backward, and slightly inward (towards the 4-5 o’clock if you are in a right lead). Riposte with inward swinging elbow strike (Zhou Fa, 肘法).
Rear hand downward press, front hand downward strike: Extend your spine as you press downwards, stretching the imaginary spring between your front foot and your head. Sink your whole-body downwards and compress this spring on your downward strike (Pi Fa, 劈法).
Neutralize lateral deflect with shoulder strike: If your right lead hand is deflected towards the 7-8 o’clock angle, step into your opponent’s center gate (Zhong Men, 中门) with your right lead foot to deliver your right shoulder strike (Kao, 靠).
诀 曰: 步 踏 中 门 钻 入 重 心 夺 敌 位, 即 是 神 手 亦 难 防。
Oral Tradition: It is difficult, even for an expert fighter, to defend against an attacker who is stepping into his center gate, displacing and occupying his center, knocking him off balance.
Down Press and Punch: When combining punches into push hands or using push hands as preparation, make your deflects small, you only need to open the line. Maintain control of your opponent’s arms as you deliver your punches, slide your attacking forearm over your opponent’s forearm as you strike (Quan Fa, 拳法).
In competitive push hands (Dui Kang Xing Tui Shou, 对抗性推手), you should minimize the number of revolutions in Da Lun (打轮), do not become motor-set.
诀 曰: 全 身 及 根 节 之 力 前 摧, 中 节 待 转, 梢 节 直 刺。
Oral Tradition: Use your harmonized whole-body to drive your shoulder, your shoulder to drive your forearm, twisting (spiraling) your forearm on contact to deliver straight (linear) power discharge with curved form.
诀 曰: 未 进 关 手 宜 轻 虚, 已 进 关 手 宜 重 实。
Oral Tradition: Keep your touch light prior to committing to attack so you can change and adapt according to your opponent; when committed, use (aggressive) explosive whole-body balanced force behind all your blows.
2. Dual-Hands Push Hands (Shuang Tui Shou
,
双推手)Using both forearms with two contact points introduce complexity to your training in whole-body neuromuscular coordination. Assume “A” and “B” are both in the right-lead small-step postures, facing each other squared-on. A's right forearm maintains contact with B's left
forearm; A's left forearm maintains contact with B's right forearm (Shuang Da Shou, 双搭手).
Theoretically, A and B can move in any pattern as long as the two contact points are maintained.
From A's view, the four possible dual-hands push hands movement patterns are:
1. Both arms move clockwise.
2. Both arms move counter-clockwise.
3. Left arm moves counter-clockwise; right arm moves clockwise.
4. Left arm moves clockwise; right arm moves counter-clockwise.
Yiquan uses pattern #4 as the “start-up” movement. This dual-hands push hands pattern is also called “rolling hands” (Shuang Tui Shou Da Lun, 双推手打轮).
诀 曰: 两 手 结 合, 迎 面 伸 出, 前 伸 后 撤, 左 右 封 固, 务 须 守 着 中 线。
While your two hands may or may not be in synch, the situations to consider are:
1. When both of your hands are on top, above or to the outside of your opponent's hands,
2. When both of your hands are below or to the inside of your opponent's hands, 3. When both of your hands are below and to the outside of your opponent’s hands, 4. When both of you hands are on top and to the inside of your opponent’s hands, 5. When one of your hands is above (outside or inside) and the other is below (inside
or outside) your opponent's hand.
When your hand (forearm) is on the outside and above, maintain a hugging-in (Bao, 抱) force at the contact point towards your opponent's central line. Keep your wrist higher than your elbow;
twist your forearm slightly in a rise drill (Qi Zuan, 起钻) rotation (Shun, 顺).
When your hand (forearm) is on the outside and below, maintain a hugging-in force at the contact point towards your opponent's central line. Keep your elbow higher than your wrist;
twist your forearm slightly in a fall overturn (Luo Fan, 落翻) rotation (Ni, 逆).
When your hand (forearm) is on the inside and below your opponent's hand, prop-out your elbow and maintain an outward prop-out (Cheng, 撑) force to protect your central line. Keep your wrist higher than your elbow; twist your forearm slightly in a rise drill rotation (Shun, 顺).
When your hand (forearm) is on the inside and above your opponent's hand, prop-out your elbow and maintain an outward prop-out force to protect your central line. Keep your elbow higher than your wrist; twist your forearm slightly in a fall overturn rotation (Ni, 逆).
The primary concept is: keep the contact points (circular) convex (Chu Chu Cheng Yuan, 触 处成圆). Pay special attention to the wrist and forearm joint positions. Protect your central line while directing the force at one or both contact points towards your opponent’s central line.
Remember, push hands is supplemental to sparring; keep your training practical and realistic. Be sure to use the rise drill (Shun, 顺) and fall overturn (Ni, 逆) rotations of your forearms to direct forces at the contact points towards your opponent’s central line as well as to protect your central line. Pay attention to the changing roles of the substantial (lead) and insubstantial (rear) hands.
Actions may involve variations of both hands directing forces in the same direction or each hand directing force in different directions. As in single-hand push hands, start initially with fixed-step (Ding Bu, 定步) practice then advance to incorporate free-fixed-steps (Huo Bu, 活步) with rolling hands. Use small rapid wading steps to control your equilibrium in mobility. Every step should result in a perfectly balanced (equilibrium) small-step posture with optimal body
alignment, proper connected-ness, and transmitting the ground to the contact points (Li Dian, 力 点) of your substantial and insubstantial hands (Jie Jie Guan Tong, 节节贯通).
Examples of Variations (Shuang Tui Shou Bian Hua, 双推手变化): When you have mastered rolling hands Da Lun (打轮), you need to study attack/defense from different angles, timing, and distances. The following is an incomplete (short) list of dual-hand push hands basics. Each example is valid only when the opponent’s forces provide the correct external stimuli for the spontaneous reflexive response; do not memorize it as a sequential response pattern (i.e., a “if this then that” pattern).
When both hands are on-top/outside:
1. Downward/backward press, forward push
When your opponent pushes forward to attack, change the direction of your
opponent’s attacking force downward by pressing both arms downward, backward, and slightly outward to create an opening. Keep your wrists higher than your elbows to control your opponent’s forearms. Slide your forearms on top of your opponent’s forearms when countering by pushing forward (梢节直刺).
2. Lateral spin, forward push
When your opponent pushes forward to attack, change the direction of your opponent’s attacking force by turning it aside with a “lateral spin”. Synchronize both arms to pull backward, downward, and spin to the left or to the right. If you
wish to go left, initiate your move by first going to your right (欲左先右, 欲右先 左) and vice versa.
3. Upward/forward drill
Drill (rotate your forearms) both hands upward, forward, and slightly inward (中 节待转). Use in combination with (prior to) downward/backward press. Direct your force forward, inward, and slightly upward driving your whole-body force through your elbows (全身之力前摧).
4. Upward/forward drill and lateral press
One arm drills upward, forward, and inward (Zuan Quan, 钻拳) while the other presses downward, backward, and outward. Keep your opponent off balance by repeatedly switching sides. Use whole-body force driving through your elbows (Gen Jie Qian Cui, 根节前摧).
5. Downward/lateral punch
Press downward, backward, and outward with one arm while punch/drill downward, forward, and inward towards your opponent’s central line with the other (Heng Xiang Zai Quan, 横向栽拳).
6. Downward drill and upward drill
Drill one arm upward, forward, and inward (Zuan Quan, 钻拳) while drill the other arm downward, forward, and inward (Zai Quan, 栽拳). One hand is used as preparation for the real blow with the other hand.
When both hands are below/inside:
1. Hook/hang hands, then forward push
Keep your hook/hang (Gou Gua, 勾挂) hands deflecting movement small; pull both hands backward, upward, and outward. You only need to create an opening or induce a startled response. Then snap forearms to palms forward for an explosive forward push. Keep elbows prop-out; do not straighten and lock your elbows; be able to change to push/pull or pull/push (Tui La Hu Yong, 推拉互用) or to the lateral directions.
2. Downward/forward drill with both hands
Use this to compliment (1); induce your opponent to use forward force for you to exploit. Or, when your opponent pulls downward and backward, follow and stick to his pull, move both hands downward, forward, and inward. As he comes forward to attack, change the direction of his attacking force with (3) or (4).
3. Downward drill and hook/hang hands
Lateral deflect: Use one hand to hook and pull back while forward/downward drill with the other to deflect an incoming force laterally; synchronize one hand to
moving downward, forward, and inward while the other upward, backward, and outward. Be sure to take up power from the ground. Keep your opponent off balance by repeatedly switching sides with this (Luo Xuan Li Wu Xing, 螺旋力 无形). Create an opening for single hand forward push (or chop) and hook/hang combination.
4. Upward drill
Both hands moving upward, forward, and inward (全身之力前摧); take up power from the ground; deliver explosive power (Zuan Quan, 钻拳) onto targets on your opponent’s central line e.g., upward punch to chin or upward elbow to chest (双手齐出).
5. Hook/hang and upward drill
One hand moving upward, backward, and outward while the other upward, forward, and inward (Zuan Quan, 钻拳) to strike targets on opponent’s central line (单手独进).
6. Downward drill and upward drill
One hand moving upward, forward, inward (Zuan Quan, 钻拳) while the other moving downward, forward, and inward (Zai Quan, 栽拳). You may use one (either one) hand as preparation for the other to deliver the real blow.
When one hand is on-top/outside and one hand is below/inside:
1. Hook/hang and lateral/downward press, then forward push
Use small movement; just enough to open up the line. Initiate attack by drilling forward/upward/inward with hand on top and forward/downward/inward with hand below to induce your opponent to resist with force for you to exploit. Then reverse your action; hook upward/backward/outward with hand below and press outward/downward with hand on top to disturb his balance (Fen Gua, 分挂);
follow through with an explosive push.
2. Forward/upward drill and forward/downward drill
Use this to compliment (1); induce your opponent to use force for you to exploit by moving the hand on top upward, forward, inward while the other moving downward, forward, and inward applying force towards his central line.
3. Upward/forward drill and hook/hang
Use this to change the direction of an incoming force to the side (lateral). To be effective, make use of the open gates. Upward/forward drill may be replaced by forward/inward push or backward/inward pull, drill the hand on top upward, forward, and inward while the other hook/hang upward, backward, and outward.
Sense opponent’s force direction; adapt and change using different maneuvers with agility.
4. Downward/forward drill and lateral/downward press
Use this to change the direction of an incoming force to the side (lateral). Or, use to compliment (3); induce your opponent to use force for you to exploit. Use combination of (3) and (4) with larger lateral movement to “shake” your opponent off balance, move the hand on top backward, downward, and outward while the other forward, downward, and inward.
5. Downward/forward drill and hook/hang
Drill the hand on top of your opponent’s hand downward, forward, and inward to strike while pulling the other hand under your opponent’s hand in a hook/hang motion upward, backward, and outward (单手独进).
6. Upward/forward drill and lateral/downward press
Press the hand on top of your opponent’s hand backward, downward, and outward while the hand below your opponent’s hand drills forward, upward, and inward to strike targets on oponnent’s central line.
Reactive/Reflexive Movement Conditioning (Fan Ying, 反应)
Practice the following to reduce your startled response lag time and improve your spontaneous reflexes:
1. Down press counter (Xia Ya, 下压)
When your opponent presses your hands downward and backward; drill both hands forward, downward, and inward to stick and follow your opponent. Then
When your opponent presses your hands downward and backward; drill both hands forward, downward, and inward to stick and follow your opponent. Then